2. Get to Know Your Direct Reports on a Human Level

Energizing leaders don’t just tell people what to do—they focus on cultivating strong, two-way relationships with the people they work with. They take a genuine interest in others’ emotions, concerns, and happiness, and aim to be fully present when talking with them (a.k.a., they care about how they communicate.)
Most importantly, they know how to show a bit of vulnerability—because they know that being honest, realistic, and accountable for their actions forces others to do the same.

3. Share Your Passion With Your Team

Have you ever had a boss who was simply going through the motions without much care for anything they did? It was probably an uphill battle to be productive when your leader wasn’t pulling their weight and showing enthusiasm for their role.
Researchers in their study found that leaders who showed passion for their work were more motivating and energizing to be around.
So, aim to get in touch with what makes your job meaningful to you. Then, communicate this excitement with your employees by sharing your personal goals, projects you’re eager to work on, or the mission you, your department, or your company stands for. The more transparent you are with the “why” behind everything you do, the more likely people will be convinced to get excited and involved.

4. Make Learning a Priority

The study also shows that energizing leaders create environments that’re intellectually stimulating. This means sharing your knowledge and experience with your team and being open to learning from others and receiving feedback.
This also means encouraging open dialogue, creativity, and the questioning of assumptions. A team that engages in frequent, honest conversations is also likely to generate higher quality solutions to problems, since they’ll be able to truly benefit from and factor in all of the individual perspectives.